after 4 years of searching for a doctor that would prescribe me armour i found one who knew her stuff, and she did a prescription based on the fact that T4 did not work for me and i was slightly allergic to it,and i had been self administering armour for over a year, well as i thought my second prescription was my last as i got a letter stating that all she could do is give me a private prescription for one last dose(i would have to pay for it and cant afford to so will not be getting that!)no reason given just the surgery had decided not to allow the gps to prescribe armour.she obviously had her wrists slapped, i am going to ask for T3 tomorrow but not thinking i will get this either, so what are my rights, do they keep me ill and on no treatment??do i get a solicitor involved?
HELP need to know my rights to medication - Thyroid UK
HELP need to know my rights to medication
nataliesue, I don't know what your rights are but I suggest the first thing is to contact the GP and practice manager and ask for the reason you are denied a NHS prescription but were offered a private prescription in writing. You can write to your local CCG attaching the letter and ask for the GP's decision to be overturned and NHS Armour reinstated. Outline how you didn't tolerate Levothyroxine and how your health improved on Armour. You might copy your MP on the letter.
The problem is that Armour isn't licensed for use in the UK and although GPs can prescribe it on a named patient basis they can't be compelled to do so. It does appear to be an NHS cost issue rather than a reluctance to prescribe Armour if your GP is prepared to issue a private prescription though.
thanks,when i get my energy and fight back AGAIN i will do all what you have said but im guessing this is going to be a long process..yes i know all about it being unlicensed ive given them all the paper work this site and others provide but to no avail they are just not bothered..is t3 more money than armour? i will see her reaction when i ask, the private prescription is a one off as she probably felt bad and worried i was nearly out of tablets,luckily i planned for this and have about a month left in armour,and am now franticly reading recovering with T3. x
Nataliesue, 28 x 20mcg Liothyronine costs approx £103 on NHS. Unfortunately, some CCGs instruct GP practices not to prescribe T3 or NDT without recomendation from an endo.
Self medicating T3 is considerably cheaper than NHS Liothyronine or self medicating Armour.
my endo did recommend i go onto armour and sent a letter to a previous doctor who was useless and arrogant..would this be in my records or thrown in a bin? and would this be of ant use?
and my main worry what happens when i run out of armour, and have no medication left?
Nataliesue, Presumably your GP will prescribe an equivalent amount of Levothyroxine or Liothyronine. You need to sort this out quickly.
Nataliesue, it should be in your records. Ask for a copy of it. It may help.
I think if we had a legal right to the medicine the consultant prescribed the details would be known on this board. And it would be no different to the expensive cancer medication that is denied people even when recommended by oncologists. Basically if NICE haven't approved it, its going to be difficult. And even if you had no problems with Levo, you might have difficulty persuading your GP to give you enough to feel well!
I know Thyroid-S has lots of fillers, that might not agree with you. Buts its way, way cheaper than Armour and I have been using it for years!
im allergic to levo, and i can only guess that thyroid s if it has alot of rubbish in i would react to that, lactose and gluten intollerant! thank you to you all, im obviously in for a stress filled christmas, yipee, ive got the shakes this morning due to anxiety great, a week of letter writing and countless phone calls AGAIN, no wonder we are all ill all the time with the stress of trying to make ourselves better....
In that case go back to your doc and ask what now? If you can't find a Levo brand you can tolerate, what exactly are you supposed to do? You will stand a far better chance with her on your side.
Writing to your MP might help too
But in the mean time it sounds like self medicating is the way to go.
I got to Thyroid S because I reacted violently to T3, it worked like a charm for my hypo symptoms, but gave me a form of arthritis which was quite crippling! I had no idea if it was fillers or some manufacturing by-product, but with only one brand on the market at the time I went down the NDT route. I never even tried to get Armour on the NHS, just too stressful!
[ Edited by admin:
23. Do not post offers to sell or give away your unwanted medications or over the counter supplements. Some people may have adverse reactions to the ingredients in these and you may be held responsible. Similarly, do not post requests for meds or over the counter supplements from others.
There are NDT's much cheaper than Armour. Thiroyd for example, I managed to get 1,000 tabs for around £70. Not sure if the person involved is supplying now, it came from Thailand, my daughter and I took it and it was fine. It only came in one grain tabs though.
NDT on the NHS?? CCG response to my question.
I feel the need to vent my anger
Endo Prescribes T3 - GP's computer says NO!
Prescription Woes Again (French Cynomel)
Help ! Consultant change -wants to put me back on Levothyroxine ! (On NDT & T3 ) 
